Brexit timeline – from the referendum to the new deadline date
BREXIT is finally upon us after a three-year slog through multiple fruitless votes in Parliament and several changes of leadership.
Here's the latest on the key dates before the clock ticked down to the final January 31 Brexit deadline.
Read our Brexit day live blog for all the latest news and updates
What is the Brexit deadline date?
The UK is set to quit the EU at 11pm GMT tonight, January 31, 2020 - you can follow the Brexit timeline here.
This comes after Brexit day was delayed three times.
The United Kingdom and the EU have negotiated a transition period which could be extended until December 2022, should both sides agree.
The plan to leave the EU on October 31 floundered when Boris Johnson’s three-day timetable to push the Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament was rejected by MPs.
The UK has now been granted a delay until the end of January after the EU accepted Britain’s request for a “flextension”.
When was the EU referendum?
Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum held on June 23, 2016.
However, the result of the vote only became legally binding through a piece of legislation called Article 50.
The bill was signed by then PM Theresa May and delivered to the European Council President on March 29, 2017.
This triggered a two-year exit process, with Britain set to leave the EU by March 29, 2019.
May had a deal agreed with Europe - but MPs rejected May's "meaningful vote" three times, leading to May requesting an extension and eventually resigning.
BREXIT TIMELINE
More than three years on, and Article 50 has been sealed, meaning that Brexit is happening whether you like it or not.
Here's how we get to where we are - amendments, bills and all.
2020
January
- Jan 31 - Brexit day
- Jan 29 - European Parliament ratifies the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement by 621 votes to 49. MEP's mark the occasion by holding hands and singing Auld Lang Syne. The EP's Brexit spokesman, Guy Verhofstadt, said it was "sad to see a country leaving that has twice given its blood to liberate Europe".
2019
December
- Dec 20 - Boris Johnson’s deal goes before parliament
- Dec 12 - Snap general election, Boris wins landslide
October
- Oct 31 - The promised Brexit deadline day
- Oct 29 - MPs vote to hold to a general election on December 12
- Oct 28 - Donald Tusk announces that the EU has granted another "flextension" until January 31, 2020
- Oct 21-24 - The European Parliament meets in Strasbourg for the last time, marking the departure of UK MEPs
- Oct 22 - Boris Johnson had a second chance to hold a vote on his deal. MPs backed the deal but wrecked it minutes later by rejecting his three-day timetable to push it through Parliament
- Oct 21 - The Speaker John Bercow blocked Mr Johnson's bid to hold a Brexit vote on his Withdrawal Agreement Bill
- Oct 19 - On Super Saturday MPs backed Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment, meaning Mr Johnson had to write to the EU to request a three-month extension
- Oct 17-18 - Negotiators from the UK and the EU agree a Brexit deal. EU leaders meet with Boris Johnson to address departure terms at a two-day summit.
- Oct 4 - It emerged Johnson would sent a letter to the EU asking for a Brexit delay if no deal is agreed by Oct 19
- Oct 2 - Boris Johnson sets out new five-point plan to leave the EU, which would create a second border between Ireland and NI
September
- Sept 29 - Oct 2 - Conservative Party conference
- Sept 25- Extraordinary debate in the Commons in which Boris Johnson is accused of 'inciting hatred'
- Sept 24 - Supreme Court finds Boris Johnson's five week suspension of Parliament broke the law
- Sept 10 - Johnson is defeated by Labour abstainers who blocked his bid to hold a general election for a second time
- Sept 9 -MPs vote on a general election ,start of Johnson's suspension of Parliament and Speaker John Bercow quits
- Sept 7 - Amber Rudd resigns after the PM kicked out Remainer Tory rebels
- Sept 4 - The PM sacks 21 Tory MPs after voting to block a No Deal
- Sept 3 - MPs to introduce legislation aimed at blocking No Deal Brexit with rebel Tories joining Labour
August
- August 28 - Queen approves suspension of Parliament for up to five weeks in a process known as proroguing
July
- July 23 - Boris Johnson is named the new PM
- July 9 - Labour announce they will officially back Remain in a second Brexit referendum
June
- June 22 - Tory party members vote between last two in a postal ballot
- June 7 - May stepped down as party leader. She is leaving her position as Prime Minister without having delivered Brexit
May
- May 26 - European Elections results: the Brexit Partywon 29 seats, Labourhad 10 and the Tories had a dismal four
- May 24 - Theresa May PM resigns
March
- March 29 - On the date the UK was expected to leave the EU, the PM loses Meaningful Vote 3
- March 21 - EU27 leaders agree to delay Brexit
- March 14 - MPs approve motion to seek permission from the EU to extend Article 50
- March 13 - MPs vote to to rule out a No Deal Brexit
February
- Feb 26 - PM promises MPs a vote on ruling out a No Deal Brexit or delaying Brexit if she loses the second ‘meaningful vote’ next month
January
- Jan 21 - May presents "Plan B" Brexit deal
- Jan 16 - May clings on to power, winning the vote of no confidence
- Jan 15 - Government suffers huge defeat, losing the Meaningful Vote by a majority of 230
2018
- Dec 11 - May survives a vote of no confidence in her leadership of the Conservatives
- Dec 10 - May pulls planned final vote on Brexit deal
- Nov 15- Now Dominic Raab resigns as Brexit Secretary, is replaced by Stephen Barclay the next day
- July 6 - The now infamous "Chequers plan" is deeply unpopular with Tory big guns. David Davis resigns as Brexit Secretary, replaced by Dominic Raab.
- May 16 - The EU (Withdrawal) Bill finishes its House of Lords stages and goes into parliamentary ping pong
- Jan 18 - The EU (Withdrawal) Bill has its First Reading in the House of Lords
2017
- Nov 13 - The Gov announces new Bill to enshrine Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the EU in domestic law
- Sept 23- PM delivers key Brexit speech in Florence
- June 8 - General Election results in a hung Parliament, Tories win most seats
- April 17 - PM calls for a General Election for June 8, 2017
- March 29 - Article 50 is signed, setting a two-year exit from the EU in motion
LATEST BREXIT NEWS
2016
- July 13- Theresa May becomes the new PM
- June 24 - David Cameron PM resigns
- June 23 - Britain votes to leave the EU (51.9 per cent of the vote versus 48.1 per cent voting to remain). The question asked was: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?"